Planning for the New Year

   Summer break is screeching close to its end (for me, at least) but it feels like summer is just now starting. We're moved into our house and working on settling in, I just made it up to the Lake for the first time and will be back one more time before school starts. I only have two real weeks at home before school starts. So much to do!

    This year I am looking forward to a fresh start. I fell into my comfortable routine in Okinawa and last school year I was just trying to keep my head above water. This summer I've been reading several books to help me provide more meaningful activities for my students. My readings have helped me develop some goals for the next school year. And with that, I present my goals for the 14/15 SY:

#1. Find time in my schedule for planning and actually stick to it! Planning and lunch rarely happen for the sped teachers I know as minutes and schedules are are always changing.

#2.  Within that planning, schedule common planning time with grade level teachers (life was much easier and instruction more meaningful when this occurred). 

#3. Redefine my philosophy of teaching and reflect on a weekly basis how that is evident in my classroom. You can thank my current read, Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller for this one! It's a book that definitely found me when I needed it.

#4. Now that I have muddled my way into the Indiana IEP program (ugh) work with former coworkers (who are IEP ninjas) to write the absolute best, most personalized IEPs for my new students. I HATE generic IEPs.

#5. Become more comfortable with the MacBook Pro generously provided by my school district.  I honestly haven't devoted the time necessary to learning the million things I can do with this device and I hope to learn at least three hundred of them this school year. There are many generous and helpful people in the district so I know I can learn from my peers as well as ever helpful YouTube and Google. 

What are some of your goals for the upcoming year?

Much needed break

My life has been on turbo speed for the past eighteen months. Husband and I just arrived at my grandma's summer cottage in southern Wisconsin with the little ones last night and I already feel better (we haven't even been here 12 hours).  I <3 Powers Lake!

Five For Friday (on a Saturday)

This is my first ever linky party. Thanks for playing along!

I'm in love with my Fitbit Flex. I'm now much more aware of how my perception of how much I move and the reality are too far apart. I love how it is making me more accountable. Now if I can get to the pool and the gym...

I am going through major homesickness for Okinawa. As you may be aware Okinawa just survived its first typhoon of the season. I'm so thankful my friends are safe. Neoguri looks like it was far more severe than any typhoon we experienced while on island. Okinawa grabs your heart and forever occupies a part of your soul. 

 My husband and I just bought our first house. We are super excited and super consumed with moving in. We have two young children who thankfully have had Vacation Bible School this week so we are taking FULL advantage of the three hours in the evening to unpack boxes and organize our new home. I wish I could snap my fingers and have everything in its new place. We could use about three more weeks of VBS.

I NEED to visit our family's summer cottage in Wisconsin ASAP. It's my happy place and I'm seriously considering just taking off next week with the kids.  I haven't been able to go nearly as often as I'd like since my son was born so I'm hoping to get up there at least twice this season.

I'm moving to a new school this year and I stopped by the classroom today.  The previous teacher had been there for 21 years and actually taught when I was a fifth grader at the same school. I spotted my third grade reading series in the room and actually knew several of the kids who had the books back when they were in third grade.  How crazy!   It appears that I'll move classrooms later in the school year after construction is completed on some new rooms within the school. I haven't even thought of my game plan for the new classroom. That can be tackled in the upcoming weeks.